IFC picks up ‘Princess’

Film unit nabs rights to 'Montepensier'

IFC Films has picked up U.S. rights to Bertrand Tavernier’s “The Princess of Montpensier,” the historical drama screening in competish at Cannes this year.

Set in France in the 1500s, “Princess” centers on a young aristocratic woman whose father forces her to marry a prince despite her love for a war hero. Helmer Tavernier wrote the screenplay with Jean Cosmos and Francois-Olivier Rousseau, based on a novel by Madame de la Fayette. Melanie Thierry stars as the princess of the title.

Pic, produced by Eric Heumann and Studio Canal, will be released theatrically and through the IFC in Theaters on-demand platform, with an exact date to be set.

Deal was negotiated by Arianna Bocco of IFC Films with Harold Van Lier and Anna Marsh at Studio Canal.

“Montpensier” joins a slate of IFC Cannes pickups that already includes “Heartbeats,” “Prey” and “Certified Copy,” as well a multi-platform release of Olivier Assayas’ “Carlos” in partnership with the Sundance Channel.